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Abstract:

A manipulator for transporting work pieces, especially between two
subsequent molding presses of a press working line, including a moving
mechanism allowing three dimensional movements on the path between the
molding presses, a supplemental arm attached to the moving mechanism and
connected to this moving mechanism via a support member that allows a
swiveling movement of the supplemental arm around a vertical axis of the
support member as well as a translation movement of the supplemental arm
with respect to the support member, and a tool support provided at the
outer end of a supplemental arm, the tool support being rotatable around
a horizontal first axis and around a second axis perpendicular to the
first axis, the tool support including a tool reception that is rotatable
around a third axis perpendicular with respect to the second axis.

Claims:

1. Manipulator for transporting work pieces between two subsequent
molding presses of a press working line, comprising: moving mechanism
allowing three dimensional movements on a path between the molding
presses, a supplemental arm attached to the moving mechanism and
connected to this moving mechanism via a support member that allows a
swiveling movement of the supplemental arm around a vertical axis of the
support member as well as a translation movement of the supplemental arm
with respect to the support member, and a tool support provided at an
outer end of the supplemental arm, said tool support being rotatable
around a horizontal first axis and around a second axis perpendicular to
the first axis, said tool support comprising a tool reception that is
rotatable around a third axis perpendicular with respect to the second
axis.

2. Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein said tool support is
received within a rotation support for rotating around the second axis,
said rotation support being held pivotable around the first axis at the
end of the supplemental arm.

3. Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein said tool reception is
provided as a bar-shaped holder with a bar axis representing a third
axis.

4. Manipulator according to claim 2, wherein the end of the supplemental
arm comprises an articulated joint member provided at the supplemental
arm pivotable around a vertical axis, while the third axis is supported
at the end of the articulated joint member.

5. Manipulator according to claim 4, wherein said articulated joint
member is fork-shaped and receives the rotation support from both sides.

6. Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein said moving mechanism
comprises a horizontal beam at which the support member is held moveable
along the length of the beam and moveable in a vertical direction.

7. Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein said manipulator comprises a
foldable arm with a plurality of limbs, wherein said supplemental arm is
provided at the end of this foldable arm.

8. Manipulator according to claim 1, wherein at least one motor is
provided for pivoting around at least one of the first axis, the second
axis and around the third axis.

Description:

[0001] The present invention refers to a manipulator for transferring work
pieces, especially between two subsequent molding presses within a
molding press line, comprising a moving mechanism for performing three
dimensional movements on the path between the two molding presses.

[0002] Manipulators are known in a large variety. Some of these
manipulators comprise a pivo-table manipulator arm with at least two
limbs that are connected pivotable around a horizontal axis. By this
pivoting or folding movement, the distance from the outer end of the
manipulator arm to its support can be shortened or prolonged. Moreover,
the height of the outer end of the manipulator arm can be changed by
suitable pivoting movements of the two limbs of the arm around their
horizontal pivot axis.

[0003] When work pieces between two molding presses are transferred, it
must be considered that there is not much space between the molding
presses, and the space between the upper press tool and the lower press
tool of one press is very shallow. For this reason this is a common
problem to transfer relatively large work pieces from one molding press
into another. If manipulators of the above kind are used for this
purpose, comprising foldable arms, the support basis of the adjacent
molding presses as well as the support of the manipulator itself obstruct
the movement, because the manipulator arm follows a circular arc path
during the pivoting movement with its outer end and approaches the basis
of the molding presses.

[0004] Moreover, another problem is related to the construction of such
manipulators, because their movement during the transfer of the work
pieces is relatively time consuming and takes much energy.

[0005] Apart from the above mentioned manipulators comprising a pivoting
arm, there are also so-called linear robots with a relatively simple
construction that perform a relatively simple linear transfer movement
between the molding presses. However, the known linear robots only
comprise very few degrees of freedom in the movement of the work pieces,
and so they are not suited for the use in a molding press line. Pivot arm
manipulators as well as linear robots both have the common problem that
the tool support at the end of the manipulator arm has a construction
height that makes the insertion of work pieces in a relatively shallow
space within the molding press very difficult.

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
manipulator of the above kind that allows a movement of the work piece
with many degrees of freedom and low expense of time and energy. In
particular the transfer of a work piece in the small space between the
molding presses and an insertion of an end of manipulator arm in the
shallow space between the press tools shall be possible.

[0007] According to the present invention, this object is achieved by a
manipulator comprising the features of claim 1.

[0008] According to the present invention, a supplemental arm is attached
to the moving mechanism via a support member that allows a pivoting
movement of the supplemental arm around the vertical axis of the support
member as well as a linear transfer movement of the supplemental arm with
respect to the support member. This turning ability in connection with
the option to extend the supplemental arm with respect to the original
manipulator arm provides a high flexibility. In particular the distance
between the tool support and the support basis of the manipulator can be
shortened or prolonged by the linear extraction and contraction movement,
without folding the manipulator arm or moving it in another way of
operation.

[0009] At the end of the supplemental arm, a tool support is provided that
can be pivoted around a horizontal first axis and around a second axis
that stands particular with respect to the first axis. Therefore the tool
support can be moved freely in space to provide a relatively free
position of the workpiece that is supported by the tool. The tool
reception of the tool support is additionally turnable around the third
axis that stands perpendicular to the second axis. By this there are
additional degrees of freedom for the tool at the tool support.

[0010] In particular it is possible to pivot the second axis of the tool
support by turning it around the horizontal first axis into a horizontal
position and to position the tool reception by turning around the second
axis also into the horizontal plane, with the result that all three axis
are in the same horizontal plane. In this position the end of the
supplemental arm with the tool support and the tool reception has all
together a relatively low height and allows an insertion of the workpiece
into a relatively shallow press space. This introduction can be performed
mainly by a linear extraction of the supplemental arm at its support
member.

[0011] Because the construction according to the present invention
provided advantages with respect to its building height in taking and
inserting the workpiece in and out of the moulding press, the workpiece
can be turned and pivoted freely in the space between the two molding
presses because of the large number of degrees of freedom, additional to
a linear movability performed by a supplemental arm towards the
manipulator support basis or away from it. The respective movements can
be performed with relatively low effort of time and energy.

[0012] Preferably the tool support is received within a rotation support
for rotating around the second axis, while the rotation support itself is
held at the end of the supplemental arm rotatable around the first axis.

[0013] The tool reception is provided preferably as a bar-shaped holder,
with the bar axis representing a third axis.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
end of the supplemental arm comprises an articulated joint member that is
pivotable around a vertical axis and its end supporting the third axis.

[0015] With this articulated joint member, the tool support can also be
held pivotable at the end of the supplemental arm in a position for
moving into the press space, in which the first, second and third axis
lie in a common horizontal plane. This pivoting within the horizontal
plane around the axis of the articulated joint member can provide a small
angular inclination of the supplemental arm with respect to the
introduction direction.

[0016] Preferably the articulated joint member is fork-shaped and receives
the rotation support from both sides.

[0017] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention,
the moving mechanism comprises a horizontal beam at which the support
member is supported movably along the length of the beam and movable in a
vertical direction.

[0018] The beam is provided for bridging a longer path within the space
between the adjacent molding presses. Between the ends of the horizontal
beam, the support member for the supplemental arm is moved, and it can
perform the above described movements for introducing and taking
workpieces in its respective end positions.

[0019] According to another preferred embodiment, the manipulator
comprises a foldable arm with a plurality of limbs, while the
supplemental arm is provided at the end of this foldable arm.

[0020] By the supplemental arm, the above described disadvantages of a
foldable manipulator arm are compensated at least partially, because the
provision of the flat supplemental arm decreases the danger of collision
of the folded parts of the manipulator arm with the support basis of the
molding press.

[0021] Preferably one or more motors are provided for performing the
rotation around the first axis, the second axis and/or around the third
axis.

[0022] In the following a preferred embodiment of the present invention is
described with respect to the following accompanying figures.

[0023] FIG. 1 to 3 show a preferred embodiment of a manipulator according
to the present invention within a molding press line;

[0024] FIG. 4 is a perspective detailed view of the manipulator from the
FIG. 1 to 3;

[0025] FIGS. 5A and 5B are side views of the shown embodiment of the
manipulator according to the present invention into different positions
of the tool support; and

[0026] FIGS. 6 and 7 are a side view and one perspective view of the
manipulator according to the present invention in another position of the
tool support.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows two subsequent molding presses 10,12 within a molding
press line in a schematic manner. Between the molding presses, a
manipulator 14 according to the present invention is provided for
transferring a workpiece 16 from a first press 10 into the subsequent
second press 12. Press 10 comprises a taking position 18 on top of the
lower half 20 of a press tool 22, while the second press 12 comprises a
reception position 24 on top of the lower half 26 of its press tool 28.
The manipulator 14 is provided for taking the work-piece 16 after the
pressing operation within the first press 10 from the taking position 18
and to transfer it into the reception position 24 of the second press 12.

[0028] For this purpose the manipulator 14 comprises a horizontal beam 30
extending within the space between the two presses 10,12. At the beam 30,
rails 32 are provided onto which a horizontal carriage 34 is movable
between both ends of the beam 30. At the horizontal carriage 34, a
vertically movable vertical carriage 36 is provided that comprises a
support member 38 at its lower end. This support member 38 supports a
supplemental arm 40 that can be shifted with respect to the support
member 38 in the longitudinal direction of the supplemental arm 40 and
can be pivoted around the vertical axis of the support member 38.

[0029] At the end of the supplemental arm 40 a tool support 42 is provided
in a way that is described in the following, said tool support 42 being
tiltable and turnable around different axes. The tool support 42 supports
a tool 44 for transporting the work piece 16. Because of the moving
mechanism formed by the horizontal beam 30, the horizontal carriage 34
and the vertical carriage 36, the tool support 42 can practically reach
each any desired point within the space between the presses 10,12 between
the taking position 18 and the reception position 24.

[0030] While FIG. 1 shows an intermediate position in which the
supplemental arm 40 stands vertically with respect to the beam 30, FIG. 2
shows an extremely extracted position of the supplemental arm 40 in which
the workpiece 16 is taken from the first molding press 10, while FIG. 3
shows a position between the position of FIG. 2 and position of FIG. 1,
in which the supplemental arm 40 is partially contracted towards the
support member 38 but still oriented in the longitudinal direction
parallel to the beam 30, before it is pivoted into the position of FIG.
1. In the following movement for inserting the workpiece 16 into the
subsequent molding press 12, the supplemental arm 40 is pivoted further
in the same turning direction with respect to the support member 38 so
that the reception position 24 for the workpiece 16 is reached.

[0031] It can be taken from FIG. 2 that the tool support 42 at the end of
the supplemental arm 40 within the press room of the first molding press
10 between the two halves of the press tool 22 takes a different position
from that shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. This change of position of the tool
support is possible due to a construction that will be described in more
detail in connection with FIG. 4.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows an extracted portion of the supplemental arm 40 that
is held at the end of the support member 38. The end 46 of the
supplemental arm 40 carries an articulated joint member 48 that is
fork-shaped and that is pivotable with respect to the fixed end 46 of the
supplemental arm 40 around a vertical axis A0. The pivoting space of the
articulated joint member 48 is delimited in a lateral direction by
lateral stoppers 50,52 formed by the vertical side walls of the hollow
profile that form the supplemental arm 40. For pivoting the articulated
joint member 48, a motor drive is provided that is not further explained
here.

[0033] The fork-shaped articulated joint member 48 comprises two parallel
flat bracket arms 54,56. Between these bracket arms 54,56 a rotation
support 58 for rotatably supporting the tool support 42 is received. The
rotation support 58 itself is held pivotable between the bracket arms
54,56 of the articulated joint member 48 and can be turned around a
horizontal axis A1 that stands perpendicular with respect to the rotation
axis A2 of the tool support 42. This rotation axis A1 of the rotation
support 58 shall be designated as first axis A1 in the following, while
the rotation axis A2 of the tool support 42 will be designated as second
axis. The turning of the rotation support 58 between the bracket arms
54,56 is performed by means of motor drives 62,64 that are provided at
the outer sides of the bracket arms 54,56. For turning the tool support
42 another motor drive 66 is provided on the second axis A2 between the
bracket arms 54,56.

[0034] The tool support 42 comprises a pin 68 that is received with one of
its ends within a rotation support 58. Rod-shaped tool receptions 70,72
extend from the remaining free end of the pin 68, and their rod axis lie
on a common third axis A3 that stands perpendicular to the second axis
A2. The tool receptions 70,72 are turnable around the third axis A3 at
the pin 68. The turning is performed by a corresponding rotation drive
74,76 for turning the respective tool reception 70,72 with respect to the
pin 68. Each tool reception 70,72 carries one portion of a tool for
lifting the workpiece 16.

[0035] While the tool support 42 can be turned around the first axis A1
and around the second axis A2, so that the rod-shaped tool receptions
70,72 can take the desired position in space, the workpiece 16 can be
positioned by rotating the tool receptions 70,72 around the third axis
A3. This provides a great number of degrees of freedom in the movement of
the workpiece 16. Moreover, the tool support 42 can take the flat
position shown in FIG. 4, in which all three axed A1, A2 and A3 lie
within a common horizontal plane, and the rod-shaped tool receptions
70,72 are positioned by turning around the third axis A3 so that the
workpiece itself takes a horizontal position. In this position the
workpiece 16 can also be introduced into a space between the two pressing
tools of a molding press 10,12 that is relatively shallow.

[0036] From this position the tool support 42 can be moved into a position
as shown, for example, in FIG. 5B. FIGS. 5A and 5B represent lateral
views of the present embodiment of a manipulator according to the present
invention into different positions of the tool support 42, namely the
position according to FIG. 5A, which has already been described with
respect to FIG. 2, and the position according to FIG. 5B, corresponding
to FIGS. 1 and 3.

[0037] When the tool support 42 is turned around the first axis A1 from
the position of FIG. 5A, in which the second axis A2 lies horizontally,
with the result that a second axis A2 stands vertical, the position of
FIG. 5B is reached. It is clearly shown that in the position of FIG. 5B
the tool support 42 has a much greater construction height than in the
preceding according to FIG. 5A. Therefore the flat position of FIG. 5A is
preferred to introduce a workpiece 16 into a molding press 10,12 or to
take it from the press. During the transfer from the position of FIG. 5A
into the position of FIG. 5B, the horizontal orientation of the workpiece
16 can be maintained due to the turnability of the rod-shaped tool
receptions 70,72 around the third axis A3, compensating the rotation
around the first axis A1. The third axis A3 as the rod axis of the tool
receptions 70,72 is then pivoted around the horizontal first axis A1,
while both axes are held parallel.

[0038] The inventive axis construction of the tool support 42 also
provides other applications. FIG. 6 shows a situation in which the second
axis A2 lies in the horizontal plane and the tool receptions 70,72 are
turned around their rod axes, mainly around third axis A3 in a way that
the workpiece 16 takes a vertical position. Such a position can be useful
in cases in which the workpiece 16 must be taken from a vertical position
and must also be deposited in a vertical position. During the transfer
from one position into the other, the workpiece 16 can take any desired
position, depending on the space between the two molding press stations.

[0039] The situation of FIG. 6 is also shown in a perspective manner in
FIG. 7. It can be seen that the rod-shaped tool receptions 70,72 are
turned with respect to the position of FIG. 4 around 90° around
the pin 68 so that the vertical position of the workpiece 16 is reached.